Sam Soko

Softie (2020)

Soko directed and produced his debut feature documentary Softie,^[8] over seven years. The film follows Kenyan activist and photojournalist Boniface Mwangi's 2017 political campaign and the resulting tension between his activism and family life. Originally conceived in 2013 as a series of short activist training videos, the project expanded into a feature-length documentary as Mwangi's campaign progressed.^[9] In 2017, Soko received the Hot Docs–Blue Ice Group Documentary Fund,^[10] providing the mentorship and funding necessary to complete the film.

Building on years of shared protest experiences, Soko gained intimate access to the Mwangi family, eventually interweaving their private domestic scenes ^[11][12] with public political life. Due to safety concerns, the team utilized discreet production methods and finalized editing in Canada.^[13] Critics praised the film's dual focus; Variety described it as both a "riveting: political journey and a "moving marriage story,"^[14] while the Financial Times noted its strong emphasis on family dynamics.^[15]

No Simple Way Home (2022)

Soko produced No Simple Way Home, a feature-length documentary directed by Akuol de Mabior. The film follows de Mabior, her sister, and their mother Rebecca Nyandeng de Mabior (widow of independence leader John Garang) as they return to South Sudan during a fragile peace process. The project began in late 2018 after de Mabior pitched the concept to Soko following her university studies.^[16]

Throughout production, de Mabior described Soko as a vital "filmmaking confidante," who provided consistent support for the narrative.^[17] The film featured a predominantly female African crew and received backing from several organizations including The Whickers,^[18] Doc Society,^[19] Docubox, the IDFA Bertha Fund, Documentary Africa, and STEPS as part of the Generation Africa anthology.^[20] The documentary premiered in the Panorama section of the 2022 at the Berlin International Film Festival.^[21] with de Mabior later highlighting Soko's integral role in the film's development.^[22]

Free Money (2022)

Soko co-directed Free Money^[23] with Lauren DeFilippo documenting a universal basic income (UBI) experiment by the U.S. nonprofit GiveDirectly ^[24] in the Kenyan village of Kogutu. While DeFilippo initiated the project, Soko's background in Kenyan political filmmaking helped ground the narrative in local realities.^[25] Soko has noted his initial skepticism toward the program, stating his primary goal was to ensure villagers were portrayed with dignity rather than as data points in an economic trial.^[26]

The film contrasts Silicon Valley perspectives with the daily lives of Kogutu residents, exploring both the optimism of donors and the complexities of the program's impact. Soko emphasized in interviews that while cash transfers can alleviate poverty, they do not resolve underlying structural issues. ^[27] He told Deadline, his concern was showing people "not just as statistics, but with their full dignity." Critics later noted how this dual perspective shaped the film's balance of empathy and skepticism.

Free Money premiered at the^[28] Toronto International Film Festival.Critics from Variety and The Hollywood Reporter praised the film for its "absorbing" look at inequality and its balanced empathetic approach ^{[29] [30]}. The documentary is currently available to stream on Netflix Africa.

The Battle For Laikipia (2024)

Soko served as editor on The Battle for Laikipia,^[31] a feature-length documentary directed by Daphne Matziaraki and Peter Murimi. The film explores historical injustices and climate pressures in Kenya's Laikipia region, focusing on the conflict between indigenous Samburu pastoralists and white landowners.

Developed over seven years, Soko shaped the narrative from over 300 hours of footage to create a balance between the competing perspectives.^[32] Nation Africa noted the film's ability to highlight the "human heart" of a conflict often simplified in news headlines.^[33]

During the two-year editing process, Soko utilized remote collaboration and transcription tools to manage vast amounts of multilingual footage, ensuring the dignity of the subjects was maintained. ^{[34] [35]}

Critics praised the film's editorial structure; The Guardian described it as "visually striking and carefully edited" ^[36] while Film Review Daily highlighted its "haunting" portrayal of colonial legacies and drought.^[37] The film premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival with reviewers noting that Soko's editing avoided creating "obvious villains", instead encouraging viewers to understand the systemic roots of the dispute.^[38]

Matabeleland (2025)

Soko produced Matabeleland,^[39] the debut feature documentary of Zimbabwean filmmaker Nyasha Kadandara.

The film follows a Zimbabwean immigrant in Botswana seeking to resolve his family's trauma linked to the Gukurahundi massacres of the 1980s. Initially a short film, Soko encouraged Kadandara to expand the project into a feature, a collaborative process that spanned seven years.^{[40] [41]}

For Soko, the project aligned with his goal of supporting first time filmmakers from the Global South and fostering "South-South exchange" in documentary filmmaking. ^[42]

Critics and audiences have noted the film's rare portrayal of African masculinity and its exploration of intergenerational silence.^[43] Sinema Focus described the documentary as a work that "carries the past, confronts the present and cradles the future"^[44]

Matabeleland premiered at CPH:DOX in 2025 before screening at other international festivals like Encounters South African International Documentary Festival.^[45]